Tommy and Annika: Funny Money
by Pre-Animation Man
Summary: When Annika has a numbers problem and Tommy is penniless, they go into business and solve both problems


It was Saturday morning.

There's a little girl with yellow hair with blue headband, wearing a red-write long-sleeve striped v-neck tee shirt, a black low rise skinny jeans, and a sky blue basic loafers, her name is Annika Settigren, who was counting numbers on her fingers.

his little boy has a brown different hair, wearing a light red shirt, a purple hoodie, a blue-green trousers, and Light Blue Basic Loafers, her name was Tommy Settigren, who was counting the money in his piggy bank.

He counted three dollars and seventy-eight cents.

"Tommy," said Annika, "do you know numbers?"

"Yes I do," said Tommy. "I am working with numbers right now."

"Well," said Annika, "if I have five peas and you take three and give me back two, how many peas will I have?"

"All of them," said Tommy. "I don't like peas, so I wouldn't take any."

"I know you don't like peas," said Annika. "But I am trying to do a number problem. Will you help me?"

"I have my own number problem," said Tommy. He turned his piggy bank upside down and shook it. But no more money came out.

"I don't have five dollars to buy a T-shirt and matching cap," said Tommy. "Everyone on our Frisbee team has to buy them. They have FAR OUT FRISBEES printed on them in blue, and they light up in the dark."

"Willie's big sister is running to make money," said Annika. "She wants to buy a new catcher's mitt."

"I don't like running errands," said Tommy.

"You could wash cars," said Annika. "The junior high kids always wash cars to raise money. That's what they are doing this afternoon."

"Well, if they are washing cars, then I can't," said Tommy. "There would be too many of us in the car-wash business."

"I know!" said Annika "You could wash bikes! Lots of kids would pay to have their bikes washed."

"Great!" said Tommy. "I could get the rust off the wheels, and I could shine up the frames I could make lots of money."

"That's no fair," said Annika. "I told you about the bike wash. But you never told me about the peas."

"I will," said Tommy. "But first help me set up business."

Annika went into the kitchen. She got a pail and a brush. She got a cloth and a sponge. Then she took them to the back steps

Tommy was making a sign, It said:

_Bikes washed_

_Good as new_

_25 cents._

"There is no soap or Brillo," said Annika.

"We have to buy some." Tommy put his money in a bag and they went to the store.

Tommy bought a box of soap for 53 Pounds a box of Brillo for 27 Cents.

"I hope lots of kids want their bikes washed," said Annika.

When they got home, Willy, Annika's loving boy, who wearing white long-sleeved basic shirt, black trousers with braces, and black basic loafers shoes, was waiting with his little sister, Brianna, who wearing red-white 2-in-1 shirt dress, and white ribbon mules, and their dog, Boots.

"How much is it for a tricycle?" asked Willy's little sister.

"The same as for a bike," said Tommy.

"But a trike is only half as big as a bike," said Willy. "You should charge half as much."

"Well," said Tommy, "it's half as big, but it has more wheels."

"Tell you what," said Willy "I will give you 38 Cents for my bike and his trike. How's that for a deal?"

Tommy thought about it. He opened the box of soap.

He filled the pail with water. Then he counted on his fingers and thought some more.

"Look what Boots is doing," said Willy's little sister.

Boots was eating the soap out of the box.

And he was drinking water out of the pail.

"That's why we call him Boots," said Willy.

"He ate most of my soap," yelled Tommy. "You better pay me back."

"I will give you 42 Cents for washing the bike and the trike," said Willy quickly. "You'll be able to buy lots more soap."

"I don't want to buy more soap," said Tommy. "I want to buy a Frisbee T-shirt and matching cap."

"Boots is eating Brillo for dessert," said Annika.

"Get that dog out of here!" shouted Tommy. "He's spoiling my business!"

"You have to advertise if you want business," said Willy. "Tell you what I'll do for you ... you wash my bike and put a sign on it saying: TOMMY WASHED ME I'll ride all over town and get you lots of business."

"Me too," said Willy's brother.

"It won't cost you anything," said Willy, "and you'll make lots of money."

So Tommy washed the bike and the trike. He got the rust off the wheels And he shined up the frames.

Then he made two signs, and put one on each of them

"Okay," said Willy, "we're ready to ride."

He gave Tommy 42 Cents and he and his little sister rode off.

Tommy put the 42 Cents in the bag with the rest of his money.

"You hold the money for me," he said to Annika, "and write down every time I get some. When it gets to $5.25, I'm quitting."

"What's the extra 25 Cents for?" asked Annika.

"For licorice twists," said Tommy. "I just love licorice twists." He gave Annika some paper and a pencil.

"Now," said Tommy, "write down $3.78 That's how much I had to start. Under that write take away 53 Cents, and take away 27 Cents. That's for the soap and Brillo."

Annika wrote down all the numbers.

"Now add on 42 Cents," said Tommy. "And that's how much I have now."

"How much is that?" asked Annika.

"Let's see," said Tommy, and he started to count on his fingers.

"I thought you said you knew numbers," said Annika

"I do," said Tommy. "Look! There's a parade at the corner, and it's coming this way!"

"That's not a parade," said Annika. "It's Willie and her cousin Anna and his friend Diva."

Willie was wearing light blue long-slveed cleric shirt with pocket on it, blue shorts, white socks, and black basic loafers shoes, who was wheeling a doll buggy with a rocking horse in it, and she was pulling a stroller. Anna was wearing a white leaf lace camisole, a light blue long-slveed lace cardigan with white collar, a sky blue ribbon frill skirt, and light blue lacy sandals with bow, who was driving a fire engine and pulling a wagon with a sled in it.

Diva, Tommy's sister, was wearing a brown basic tank top, with a gray short coat with lace, a red slimfit capri jeans, and black mary janes with white ribbons, who was riding a scooter and carrying a skateboard.

"We saw the sign," said Willie, "and we came to get washed."

"Tommy only washes bikes," said Annika.

"No I don't," said Tommy quickly, and he rolled up his sleeves. He put more water in the pail, and he put in the rest of the soap.

"Wow!" said Tommy. "I'm going to clean up! This will make me lots of money!"

Annika got her pencil and paper ready, Willie's cousin Anna was whispering something to Willie.

"Wait a minute," said Willie. "We thought you washed for free."

"For free!" yelled Tommy. "Can't you read that sign?"

Willie's cousin whispered to her again

"The sign on Willy's bike didn't say anything about money," said Willie. "It's against the law to tell a lie on a sign."

"I didn't tell a lie on a sign," said Tommy. "This sign right here says bikes washed 25 Cents. And that's what I'm washing. No scooters or doll buggies or anything else!"

Tommy pulled his sleeves down.

Anna pulled Willie's sleeve and whispered some more.

"Okay," said Willie. "We'll go get our bikes. You can wash them for 25 Cents a piece if you do the rest for free."

Tommy thought about it.

He looked at the empty box of soap.

He stirred the water in the pail.

"Tell you what," said Tommy. "Throw in a little extra so I can buy more soap, and I will do it. How's that for a deal?"

So Willie and Anna and Diva got their bikes. Tommy scrubbed the wheels and he shined the frames. He washed the buggy, the stroller, and the rocking horse for Willie. She gave Tommy 34 Cents. He washed the fire engine, the sled, and the wagon for Anna. He gave Tommy 36 Cents. He washed the scooter and the skateboard for Diva. He gave Tommy 33 Cents.

Annika put all the money in the bag, and she wrote down all the numbers.

After Willie and Anna and Diva left, Tommy said, "Now let's get more soap so I can make more money."

Tommy and Annika took the bag of money and went to the store. Tommy got a box of soap and counted out 53 Cents.

"Sorry, son," said the grocer. "This soap costs 64 Cents."

"But it was 53 Cents this morning," said Tommy.

"That's right," said the grocer, "but the price went up. You can't get soap at this morning's price this afternoon."

"That's no fair," said Tommy.

"Maybe they still have it at this morning's price at some other store," said Annika.

Tommy and Annika went down the street.

They passed the hardware store and the fruit-and-vegetable store. Then they came to the general store. There was a T-shirt and matching cap in the window. The T-shirt said "FAR OUT FRISBEES" on it in blue.

A sign said:

_WINDOWS SAMPLES_

_REDUCED_

"Maybe you don't have to buy more soap to make more money," said Annika. "Maybe you have enough right now."

Tommy and Annika went into the store

"How much is the sample in the window?" asked Tommy.

"$4.25," said the sales lady. "Do you have enough money?"

"I don't know," said Tommy. "I have to count it."

He poured his money out of the bag

"It will take a long time to count all that," said the lady.

"No it won't," said Annika. "Tommy knows numbers, and I have the numbers written down."

She gave Tommy the paper with the numbers on it.

"Let's see," said Tommy. "$3.78, take away 530, take away 27 Cents, add 420, add 344, add 360, add 330. Hmmnnnn . .."

"That's $4.43," said the lady. "You have enough for the T-shirt and cap, and 18 Cents left over."

"Wow!" said Tommy. "I'll take the T-shirt and cap, and do you have any licorice twists?"

"Yes," said the lady. "They are 5 Cents a piece or six for a quarter."

"How many do I get for 18 Cents?" asked Tommy

"You'll see," said the lady, She winked at Annika.

Annika looked at Tommy. "Tommy," she said, "you said you knew numbers."

"Here are five licorice twists," said the lady. I've given you two extra for good luck."

"Tommy," said Annika, "if I have five peas and you take three and give me back two-"

"Wait," said Tommy. "Change the peas to licorice twists, and I will help you."

"Okay," said Annika.

"How many licorice twists will I have?"

"Hold out your hand," said Tommy.

He gave Annika the five licorice twists.

Then he took away three, and gave back two

"You would have four licorice twists," said Tommy. "But that only leaves me with ONE!"

"You do know numbers, Tommy," said Annika, and she started to eat her licorice twists.

Tommy looked at the one he had left.

"I got mixed up," he said. "You would only have two."

"I know," said Annika. "Because if you took three licorice twists, you wouldn't give back any! You just love licorice twists!"

So Annika and Tommy shared the licorice twists, and they each had two and a half!

THE END


End file.
